Where to stay in Tokyo for under 5,000 Yen a night

Staying in Tokyo can be quite expensive, but it doesn’t have to be! When you’re on vacation the last thing you want to be spending money on is the location of your bed. You’re not in it 24/7 and you shouldn’t have to pay a pretty penny for it either. So here are a few places within Tokyo where you can stay for under 5,000 yen a night.Photo credits: www.airbnb.comHostelIf you’re looking for a bed and a place to make some friends, a hostel might be a great cheap option for you. They’re found quite frequently around Japan and most travelers who stay in them speak English. The cheap options tend to be dorm style rooms, but they do offer private rooms for a higher price. Emblem Hostel Nishiarai has some very spacious dorms for travelers and a great common area for meeting other guests. Depending on the room, a night could be as low as 2,500 yen a night!Photo Credits www.bamboo-house.comSharehouseIf you’re looking for a longer stay in Japan but don’t want to bust your wallet, a sharehouse or guest house might be ideal for you. Sharehouses can rent a room at a monthly rate and some even have a weekly rate as well. These are convenient because you get all the conveniences of living in a house while meeting some great people in the process. If you want a place to settle and spread out some of your things, consider a sharehouse for their extremely affordable prices. For my two weeks in Tokyo, I stayed at Bamboo sharehouse and met people I still consider friends today. Depending on the room you take, their prices start as low as 1,900 yen for a night for a week. Photo credit tripvena.comCapsule HotelWhile capsule hotels might seem stuffy and uncomfortable, they are the complete opposite. You can find them just about anywhere in Tokyo and most of them for under 5,000 yen a night. You’ll have some showers and toiletries at your disposal if you packed light and some capsule hotels even have TV’s within. TamachiBay Hotel is a prime example of all the great things a capsule hotel can offer you. Spacious, clean, and quiet all describe this capsule hotel, and while a room might hit really close to the 5,000 yen a night budget, it is definitely worth a trip for a night.Photo credits foreigners-in-sendai.blogspot.caManga CaféIf you’re willing to give up a little bit of comfort, a manga café might be right up your alley. They don’t exactly have beds, but their flat sheet private rooms are comfortable enough to get a good rest. Coupled with showers, if needed, some food delivered right to your door, and access to wifi, what more could you ask for? They’re located all over Tokyo and are usually a few minutes from a station; you won’t find one that will cost you above 5,000 for a night. On a recent trip I stayed at the Grand Cyber Café Bagus Shinjuku Store, they offer a 12 hour stay for 2,390 (shower time included!). We were able to fit two people and 2 very large suitcases inside their pair full flat sheet.Photo credit trip advisorWeekly MansionThe name might be a little deceiving as they are much better suited for travelers who plan on staying in Tokyo for a while. Weekly mansions are high up on the budget range, most actually just below 5,000 yen a night. They offer you the ability to live in Tokyo and never give up the luxuries of living in an actual home, meaning you need to pay for those utilities too. http://www.weekly-mansion.com/ actually has a whole slew of mansion you can peruse at your leisure, just make sure you keep your eye on the cost! Hopefully we’ve given you a few key places that won’t bust your budget. Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to stay in Tokyo, all you need is a comfy bed.

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7 comments

If Airbnb is no longer a grey area it may be your best bet especially if the couples want to sleep in the same bed!

Otherwise if you guys don't mind being apart but in the same room and depending how long you plan on staying, a sharehouse or hostel might be a good plan. I know the sharehouse I linked does have a per day basis for shorter stays.

I can always see what I can find if you give me an estimate budget and how long you plan on staying :)

That used to be a grey area. It's been cleared up. Only as long as you use that type of service for more than 2 days. There are other regulation things that the renter needs to follow up on, but looking at reviews and seeing how long they have operating will let you know if they been keeping things in the up and up.

There are plenty of other issues that are related to that type of service, but that is the inherent risk of them, At least Airbnb does protect you over this and will find accommodations for you within a reasonable match if you run into trouble and its not your fault. I never had to use this, but I had someone cancel way before I got there and I was able to get a new place quickly with no issues.

Overall a little research and you can save some on Airbnb without ending up in the street. Though if something goes wrong your guide has some great last min emergency stops like a manga cafe. While you login and get help finding a new place.